nd fall within the domain of the pathologist. Here then, as
Brissaud says, you have your giants despoiled of their ancient and
favourite prestige. Mythology yields the place to pathology."

The _causes_ of gigantism and of dwarfs are now well known. In the brain
there is a tiny gland known as the pituitary gland, weighing little more
than half a gram, and divided into two portions--the "anterior" and the
"posterior" lobes. Hypertrophy of the _anterior_ lobe causes gigantism.
The bones grow to an exaggerated length; the hands, feet, and bones of
the face grow enormous. When, on the contrary, the secretions of the
anterior lobe are insufficient, the body remains small, undergrown and
delicate. The secretions of the _posterior_ lobe, on the other hand,
insure the undue accumulation of fat, and disturb the functional
activities. Other ductless glands in the body also affect the mental and
physiological functions of the whole organism.

Nevertheless it is realized that beings have existed from time to time
far larger and more powerful in every way than the ordinary human being,
and the mythopoeic tendency of the human mind has doubtless supplied the
rest, and accredited to them marvellous powers which they did not in
reality possess.

In not a few fairy tales we read that the plates and dishes, which were
upon the fairy's table, ran of their own accord to the kitchen, washed
themselves, and came back to the table; that a cake was cut by a knife
held by no visible hand; a decanter of water, of its own accord, moved
about from place to place on the table, refilling the glasses of the
guests; and in various other ways duties were performed which we are
accustomed to consider as necessarily performed by ourselves. All this
was accomplished by the objects without any external assistance, and of
their own accord. Incredible as such accounts may appear, they are,
nevertheless, not so extraordinary, viewed in the light of some newer
researches--which in fact, if proved to be true, render phenomena of
this sort quite credible. During seances held with Eusapia Palladino,
objects were moved from place to place in the room without visible
contact, and apparently of their own accord. They were also lifted from
place to place and floated about in the air without visible support.
These phenomena have been observed for a number of years by scientific
men on the Continent, and they are unanimous in asserting that
manifestations o